1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a particle analyzer, and more particularly to a particle analyzer for analyzing particles by allowing a sample liquid such as blood and urine containing particle components to flow through a flow cell and by irradiating the sample liquid with light to capture an image of the particles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such particle analyzers are conventionally known in which a light source irradiates a sample liquid flow containing particles and a video camera captures a light-transmitting image of the particle irradiated with the light source (for example, see Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. HEI 5-79970 and Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. HEI 5-142137). However, the use of such conventional particle analyzers to capture fluorescence-emitting particles involves a problem in that direct light radiated from the light source to the video camera cannot be completely shielded, thereby making it difficult to obtain a fluorescent image which has a favorable S/N ratio.